Grizzly Posted July 5, 2019 Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 Hello, Has anyone any experience / got one for an Excel? If so which one? Ones for the Ford Fiesta seem to be easy and cheap to get. One thing that I have found in mt research is that the diameter of these space saver spares is nearly always smaller than the diameter of a full tyre, which in my mind says that on a flat surface the spare is off the ground - or does the suspension on that side compensate for this? Thanks Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydclements Posted July 5, 2019 Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 On many modern cars, the suspension is flexible enough to cope with a few cms difference in rolling diameter, but I think you're right to be think differently for the Excel. These are cars that are quite stiff, so if one tyre is of a smaller diameter then it may make the car slope noticeably, but you'd presumably be driving very sedately when on a space-saver tyre. Our tyre sizes are quite small by modern standards, so (if a Fiesta space saver is 125 80 15) then it's only 2.6% different to a standard Excel tyre (215 15 15), or 1.7% to a common replacement (205 50 15 as the 215s are hard to acquire at reasonable cost). At that sort of difference I'd personally not worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted July 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 Andy, Many thanks for your reply and for confirming my thoughts. Yes, I would drive sedately and straight to a tyre shop, so no distance at all, hopefully. I hope never to have to use it as I will also be carrying an electric pump / foam puncture repair kit. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom kilner Posted July 5, 2019 Report Share Posted July 5, 2019 Great idea what's the weight saving going to be? Leaving out the can of foam and electric pump? I think if you punctured on the front that 2% (maybe throw in more deformation on the car because of narrower profile?) difference could be a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted July 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 I'm not bothered by the weight saving, so I wouldn't know. I'm not looking at getting one so save weight but to find a wheel that will fit into the boot - the full size wheel won't. Hoping a thinner wheel will. I will also be having the can of foam, the spare wheel being used only if the foam doesn't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydclements Posted July 6, 2019 Report Share Posted July 6, 2019 I was wondering why a full size one wouldn't fit but I'm guessing it's because the Elite used smaller wheels than the Excel, and you're using Excel-size tyres etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted September 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2019 As a follow up to this I am using the space saver tyre from my Volvo V40 which fits the Excel (same 114.3 pcd for the wheel nuts) and is the same diameter as the Excel full size tyre. The full size tyre is just too wide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don.Hasi Posted September 25, 2019 Report Share Posted September 25, 2019 In the stock layout the spare tire is mounted under the car. In the Excel it is a safety feature. In the predecessors it is just weight in mud. So I got rid of it and take a tire repair can/ inflater with me. For the cases the repair can doesn't work, the AA-Card will engage (must have for Oldtimers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisJ Posted September 25, 2019 Report Share Posted September 25, 2019 Be aware if you remove your spare wheel. AA (UK) terms & Conditions Quote General Exclusions 1. Basic Breakdown Cover does not provide for: d. Failure to carry a serviceable spare, that is any additional charges resulting from Your failure to carry a legal and serviceable spare wheel or tyre, except where this is not provided as manufacturers’ standard equipment. The AA will endeavour to arrange on your behalf, but will not pay for, assistance from a third party; RAC Quote General exclusions for this policy The following exclusions will apply to this policy 11. Any costs relating to the repairs of wheels and tyres or costs relating to any vehicle not carrying a serviceable spare tyre. We will provide assistance to change the tyre using a serviceable spare tyre carried by you. Where the vehicle is not provided with a spare tyre we will recover the vehicle to a local repairer; (my italic) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don.Hasi Posted September 25, 2019 Report Share Posted September 25, 2019 😮 wow. In this case you have to decide about the incident rate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted September 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2019 Here are the results of my efforts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straker Posted September 25, 2019 Report Share Posted September 25, 2019 Are you including some sort of retaining clamp for the spare? is that 2x flowcheck valves in the image? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted September 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 Yes I have a central retaining clamp - an 8 mm bolt through a piece of steel plate that spans the wheel centre hole and into an 8mm bolt which is welded into another steel piece which is screwed into the North / South strengtheners No - the one on the left is a flowcheck valve, the one on the right is a Fawcett solid state electric fuel pump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXCEL V8 Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 Have you grafted the wheel well in yourself, or did later cars come like that? Looks good. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted September 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 I did it myself. I made a tub and grafted it into place. If I were to do it again, and knowing what I know know, I would not do it this way again. Simply cut out what you don't need and make good with pre-made sides and base, and do it with the car body off the chassis. i did it with the body on, working on my back and going home with fibreglass rein in my hair! I made a mould from artist's foam board, made a thin tub wall with fibreglass, made a flat base and glassed them together reinforced with metal angles (don't want the bottom falling out whilst driving down the motorway!), trial fitted it many times to get it right and tight to the existing car well walls (cut and carve - good job it's fibreglass, fitted and glued in place with builders foam to fill any spaces and added extra fibreglass between the tub and the existing wherever it touched. It was a marathon in the end, but it is what I wanted to do. I don't know about late cars, but I think they did, especially later Eclats. Brian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straker Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Elegant solution, did you glass in bobbins for the fuel pump mounts at the same time? are you forming a box or mount for the battery as well? I’m curious as a PO moved the battery to the rear in my Eclat and it’s just wedged in place with celotex..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXCEL V8 Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Great work Brian. I'm always glad to see that it's not just me!! 😁 Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted September 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 No, no bobbins. I would only use these for major structural / load bearing fixing points such as doors, bonnet etc.. Just clean cut holes through 6mm thick fibreglass with oversize od washers. The battery area is another area to fix. My current battery fits into the well behind the wheel arch and was held in place by two threaded rods glassed into the body and restrained by a cross bar. It was covered by a box lid that also had a tool box on top as part of the whole. I would like to fit a bigger battery, but have yet to understand battery terminology fully as to whether bigger means physical size, or able to stay charged for longer. A physically bigger battery would not fit into the battery well so I may have to lose this space by covering with a battery tray and cover with boot carpet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXCEL V8 Posted May 25 Report Share Posted May 25 Thread revival! Brian - what does the wheel/tyre fit like on the car? Does the offset of the Volvo wheel work OK? Got any photos of the wheel fitted at the front/back? Asking because a space saver may help with my Elite project as well. Thanks Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted May 26 Author Report Share Posted May 26 Hello Pete The wheel / tyre fits on the car just like any space saver tyre - it works, but looks odd. I haven't driven my car with the space saver on, but I'm assuming that if it works for my Volvo 440 it will work for the Elite. I wouldn't drive any distance with the space saver fitted, or very quickly - basically enough to get to a tyre place and have the full tyre repaired / replaced. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXCEL V8 Posted May 26 Report Share Posted May 26 Thanks Brian - I'd been wondering if the Volvo offset would lead to the tyre touching the body at any point. I assume if a front tyre let go you would put a rear on the front and the space saver on the rear? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXCEL V8 Posted June 6 Report Share Posted June 6 Me again!! Brian - what is the maximum width of the tyre - how "high" is it when in your wheel well? Just the tyre - not the whole wheel. The standard tyre is about 9" at it's widest. Wondering how much space would be left above the Volvo wheel/tyre when in the normal Elite cradle (looking at places to fit gravity-fed fuel injection pump & filter). Thanks again Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted June 9 Author Report Share Posted June 9 Hello Pete, Please don't apologise for contacting me - there's no need - it's what we're all here for My "standard" tyres are 215/50/15 The 2001 Volvo V40 space saver tyre I have is a 125/90/15. So 90% of 125 is 112.5. I built in a wheel well to accommodate the space saver - photo attached - the bottom of the well is level with the lowest part of the car at this point where the body sat on the Elite chassis I don't think it's much help as the bottom of the tyre, without a well, could be much closer to the road, thus giving you more space above the tyre than shown in the photo. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EXCEL V8 Posted June 9 Report Share Posted June 9 Thanks Brian. The 90% of 125mm is the tread width. What I'm after - if the tyre is easy to get to - is the width at it's widest point - about half way down the side wall. That will let me assess how much space it would leave above it on the original Elite tyre tray. Thanks again. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted June 12 Author Report Share Posted June 12 Hello Pete I have some info and pictures for you The width of the rubber tyre at it's widest point is 125mm. However, the steel wheel stands proud on one side by 10mm. Hope the pictures help By the way I keep this tyre in the wheel well of my Volvo V40 which, because I work on the car and its bits in two places, is really a mobile tool shed. So having to empty the tools to get at the wheel it's surprising the number of tools I have bought and used just once, but still carry them around with me - You never know when you might need it again, if ever Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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